Celebrated on Monday at the Acropolis Palace, the 2015 Victoires du Sport once again allowed the City of Nice to honor its numerous champions. True to his convictions, Christian Estrosi took the opportunity to emphasize how much he counts on sports to make his city and region shine. It was also an opportunity for us to take stock of the Nice sports teams, which (almost) all proudly fly the colors of Nissa la bella.
A city of sports par excellence, Nice boasts no fewer than 10 professional or semi-professional sports teams. Whether they compete in the elite of their disciplines or just below, they all have one thing in common: ambition. Representing Nice across the country is not enough for them; they aim to play leading roles and aim ever higher.
Clubs firmly established in the elite
Among these ten high-level teams, more than half are already part of the crème de la crème in their sports. Football, handball, women’s basketball, water polo, or even American football, all compete in the 1st division and are far from just making an appearance. Whether seasoned in the elite (football, water polo, American football) or newcomers at this level (basketball), it doesn’t matter; this year, everything is going well for the teams from Nice. The championships are far from over, but at present, Nice is never found beyond 5th place in the standings. The symbol of this success is obviously OGC Nice. The football team, the city’s main showcase, proudly occupies the podium of Ligue 1 today.
In the shadow of GYM’s results, others also have reasons to make the people of Nice proud. In its first year in LFB, the Cavigal Basket women’s team, currently 3rd, is already the nice surprise of the season. True to themselves, the men’s and women’s teams of Olympic Natation are once again playing leading roles in Pro A water polo. Meanwhile, the OGC handball women, who struggled at the start of the season, are now back on track and close to qualifying for the playoffs for the second time in their history. Finally, let’s not forget the Nice Dolphins. More ambitious than ever, the American football players started the season in the best possible way by defeating the Aix Argonauts, the favorites of the French championship, right out of the gate.
They too are reaching for the goal
While reaching the elite is, of course, every team’s dream, in Nice, there are two that are well on their way to achieving it. On one side, the Nice Hockey Eagles, 1st in their championship, and on the other, the Nice volleyball players, currently 2nd in Pro B. Combative and talented, these teams have shown an attractive face since the beginning of the season. And even though nothing is certain yet, the time may finally have come for those who narrowly missed promotion last year.
The Stade Niçois stands out as the black sheep
Aiming higher is also the goal for the Cavigal Nice Handball and Stade Niçois Rugby. Two emblematic men’s clubs that once mingled with the top but are now stuck at the gates of professionalism. Narrowly missing out in the last two seasons, the handball players are now leading their National 1 pool and are favorites for promotion to Pro D2. With the arrival of a new coach and the implementation of a real game plan, Cavigal has clearly taken a step forward without altering its team or spending a fortune. Proof that a good sports policy is often the key to success.
Success that inevitably contrasts with the current misfortunes of Stade Niçois, 7th in Fédérale 2 and the only Nice club truly below expectations this season. Supported by the Allianz group, the club is nonetheless one of the richest in the city. But by choosing to change almost the entire roster in the off-season, the leaders of Stade Niçois bet on the addition of individual talents at the expense of team cohesion, which is now sorely lacking. Proof that in sports, as elsewhere, money doesn’t necessarily bring happiness.
by Jordan Perronneau
